This lox and bagels recipe makes a fun and easy brunch or breakfast spread! Put out the salmon lox bagel ingredients and toppings and let everyone build their very own perfect bagel and lox. I’ve included lox and cream cheese bagel FAQs, tips, and a bunch of topping ideas for a bagel board spread that’s as simple or as extra as you want it to be. Like a charcuterie board, but for brunch! If you shop at TJ’s, I can help you pick out the best Trader Joe’s smoked salmon. Layer up your lox bagel and serve it with my cold foam for an easy and delicious breakfast. And if you have leftover lox, try my smoked salmon dip or smoked salmon sandwich next time.
While I love fresh bagel and lox sandwiches, be sure to try my bacon egg and cheese bagel sandwiches, steak and egg bagel sandwiches, bagel bar brunch board, or Trader Joe’s breakfast board next time for some other brunch favorites.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Table of Contents
- Lox and Bagels Video
- What Is Lox and Bagels Recipe?
- What You’ll Love About This Lox and Bagels Recipe
- Salmon Lox Bagel Ingredients
- Lox Bagel Sandwich Topping Ideas
- How to Make Lox and Bagels
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage Instructions
- How to Order a Lox Bagel
- How to Serve Bagel and Lox to the Whole Family
- What Goes Well with Lox Bagel
- More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- It’s 5pm. Are you still wondering what’s for dinner?
Lox and Bagels Video
What Is Lox and Bagels Recipe?
A traditional lox and bagel recipe consists of the bagel, cream cheese, lox, red onion, and capers.
This recipe is set up as a DIY salmon lox bagel bar. Put everything out the morning of the party and let your guests build their own. It’s great for brunch, baby showers, parties, or holidays. If it’s just you, you can keep it more basic.
What You’ll Love About This Lox and Bagels Recipe
- Quick and easy
- Looks gorgeous as a spread
- Perfect for brunch or holidays
- Satisfying and delicious meal
- DIY so everyone can make their own

Salmon Lox Bagel Ingredients
This lox bagel sandwich is made up of a few mandatory ingredients and then there is lots of room for topping options:
- Bagels – Savory bagels work best: plain, sesame, poppyseed, everything, onion…the possibilities are endless, choose your favorite.
- Lox – Some stores will have many varieties of lox, others will have a limited amount. Some popular varieties are nova lox, gravlax, lox, and hot-smoked salmon (kippered salmon).
- Cream cheese – You can use different cream cheese flavors. Plain cream cheese, garlic herb, and veggie work well, but really most savory cream cheese flavors will be delicious. Put the spreads out in a small bowl or dish.
- Toppings – See the whole list below.
- Garnish – Black pepper, fresh herbs
Lox Bagel Sandwich Topping Ideas
Salmon lox bagel toppings can be as minimal or as extra as you like:
- Sliced cucumbers
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced red onion
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced radishes
- Sprouts
- Fresh dill
- Capers
- Everything bagel seasoning

How to Make Lox and Bagels
Let’s make this lox bagel recipe!
- Pick your bagel. Choose your favorites and make sure you’ve got sliced bagels before you put them out.
- Add cream cheese. Spread with cream cheese. (I like a thick layer, but you do you!)
- Add toppings. Top with lox and any other desired toppings.
- Eat! You can serve it as a sandwich or open-face. (I think open-face is superior as it’s easier to eat and there is more room for toppings!)
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes on a lox bagel?
A traditional lox and cream cheese bagel consists of a bagel, cream cheese, lox, red onion, and capers.
Sam’s on Sunset (our neighborhood bagel spot in LA) serves it as a platter so you can make your own and it comes with a bagel, lox, cream cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, capers, pickles, and lemon.
How much lox per bagel?
Wondering how much smoked salmon per bagel? A good estimate is at least 4-6 ounces of lox per person.
Is a lox bagel healthy?
Yes! Unless you don’t eat bagels. Or salmon.
All kidding aside, I considered bagels a “bad food” for far too long, which is why I tend to answer these questions with a joke. It makes a filling and delicious breakfast or lunch!
Is it ok to eat lox while pregnant?
The recommendation is to skip smoked salmon and lox while pregnant – check with your Doctor.
Where did the lox bagel originate?
New York! Lox came from Scandanavia and bagels originated in China and were refined in Italy, but putting them together was thought to happen in New York. The exact timing is unknown, but the term lox and bagels was already known in the 1950s. (Source)
Storage Instructions
Bagels and lox are best fresh, though they’ll last a few hours if you need to take it on the go with you.

How to Order a Lox Bagel
If you want to order a lox cream cheese bagel at a bagel shop, look for it on the menu! Some bagel shops serve it as a sandwich, and others serve it as a platter.
Either way, you can request your preferred bagel, cream cheese, and toppings.
How to Serve Bagel and Lox to the Whole Family
I get it, feeding kids can be tough! But following the Division of Responsibility and knowing your job and your child’s job makes it SO much more enjoyable. You’ll be able to feed your kids any meal, which will help ensure that they are eating a variety of nutritious foods – with plenty of play food sprinkled in. 😉
This classic lox and bagels recipe as a DIY salmon and lox bagel bar so that everyone can make their own creation.
All of my articles on feeding kids can be found here and if you want a FULL list of all of the videos I have with hacks, tips, scripts, and ideas for feeding kids, check out my instagram or tiktok page.
What Goes Well with Lox Bagel
If you’re putting out a bagel and lox spread, serve them with some typical breakfast/brunch spread items like:
- Hard boiled eggs
- Breakfast sausages
- Fresh fruit
- Mini muffins – mini chocolate chip muffins, mini banana muffins, or mini blueberry muffins
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
If you like this lox and cream cheese bagel recipe, you might also like some of these other easy breakfast recipes:
- Mini Frittatas
- Bacon Egg and Cheese Bagel Sandwich
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Oatmeal
- Greek Yogurt Parfait
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
It’s 5pm. Are you still wondering what’s for dinner?

Menu Plans by My Everyday Table can help you out.
The plan addresses three major issues when it comes to weeknight dinners: having a plan, time, and one family meal.
You’ll save time, save money, waste less food, and feel calm when 5pm hits because your dinner is already planned.

Salmon Lox and Bagels Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy salmon lox and bagels recipe is perfect for brunch parties! Let everyone build their perfect lox and cream cheese bagel sandwich.
Ingredients
- High quality bagels
- Cream cheese
- Salmon lox
- Toppings (see list above)
Instructions
- Slice bagel and spread with cream cheese.
- Top with cream cheese, lox, and desired toppings.
Notes
- Nutrition facts are an estimate as calorie amounts in bagels will vary greatly. (And all calorie counts are estimates!)
Keywords: lox and bagels recipe, salmon lox bagel, bagel and lox, lox and cream cheese bagel, lox bagel
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Tut
We put this spread out for friends on our charcuterie board. It was perfect for me the hostess ~ my work was done. I could enjoy our guests, the lox & bagels were attractive and satisfied everyone and all I had to do was keep the coffee brewing. Thanks Emily.
★★★★★